Rocker-step connection



April 3, 1928.

P. R. FORMAN ROCKER STEP CONNECTION Filed Feb. 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 awwemboz Par/J K i $51 Swot/wag April 3, 1928..

P. R. FORMAN ROCKER STEP CONNECTION Filed Feb. 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a-moenboz Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED sures I 1,664,811 PATENT OF'FiCE.

PARIS R. NORMAN, or nAIIwAY, NEw JERSEY, ASSIGTIOR To NATIONAL PNEUMATIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

' ROCKER-STEP CONNECTION.

Application filed February 4, 1926. Serial No. 85,829.

This invention relates in general to a rocker step connection for connecting the step operating rod of vehicles with the door operating rod which is in turn connected to the motive power source through the door supporting and operating shaft.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a very simple but eflicient connecting link between steps of the folding type on vehicles, and the source of motive power.

Another object of this invention is to provide a. device of this nature which is, at the same time, easy and cheap to construct, and efficient in operation and maintenance.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, as will. more fully appear hereinafter in the specification and i'drawings, where'I have shown, by way of illustration, one embodiment of my inventive idea.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the several views to indicate the same parts,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the structure of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, showing the method of securing the pivot pin in place.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view with some parts broken away showing the application of my invention to a street car.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view with some parts broken away showing the application of the modified form of my invention applied to a street car. I

In all modern vehicles used in street railway and the like systems, it" is usual to mount the steps at each door on bearings,

.' and to rotate them from a horizontal to a vertical position, parallel with the side of of the slide bar step connect-ion. experlence I have foundthat the slide bar step connection, belng under the platform is subject to excessive dirt and wheel wash.

During the winter months the slide bar step connectionis a source of annoyance to the car companies for snow, ice and water colleots on the slide bar and freeze up over night while the cars are in the carbarns. Also, the use of grease by the car companies on the slide bar collects dirt which forms practically a grinding compound, thus causing tremendous wear on the working parts and shortening the useful life of the device. The inevitable result is a great deal of lost motion in the mechanism due to wearing of the parts.

My rocker step connection was designed to overcome all of the detrimental features of the slide bar. 'Attached, as it usually is to the center platform knee or some other part of the car construction under the platform, it is removed from the source of wheel-wash with its attendant evils of freezing up of the parts. ;There is less chance of the rocker step connection gathering dirt.

The removal of these injurious conditions insures a better working connection between the source of motive power and the step itself, and also results in a device that affords increased life in service.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, there is shown at 1, a plate or bar member, having two upstanding integral arms 2, and having bores at the ends of the bar and the arms. Those in the plate or bar, are used for securing it to some part of the car construction under the platform usually the center platform knee 12, depending from the floor 13 of the car, and those in the arms 2, form bearings for the short pivotpin 3, which is secured in place by means of cotter pins 4. Pivotally mounted on the short pin 3 is an H-shaped member 5, having its ends 6 enlarged at 7, to form points of bearing on the pin 3. At the free ends 8 of the H-shaped member 5, are bores 9, into which passes the connecting means which joins the link 5 with the device for opening and closing the step of the car. The cross-section 10 of the H -shaped link has extending through it a bore 11. It will thus be seen that the link 5 is pivotally mounted on the pin 3, and forms a freely movable connecting means between its point Through of attachment to the step, and to the source of motive power as will be now explained.

Pivotally attached to the link 5 by means of the pivot pin 1% are the two rods and 16. At 23 is the pneumatic or other type of motor attached to the Vertical rotatable door supporting shaft 21 by means of the crank arm 22. v hen the shaft-21 is 1'0- tated by the door engine 23 the doors are swung open in the well known manner. Attached to the shaft 21 at its lower end is the cran pivotally secured to the rod 15. The step 19is mounted on a horizontal rotatable shaft 18 having secured to it a crank arm 17 also pivotally attached to the rod 16. As the door is opened the rotation of shaft 21 forces the rod 15 to the right and with it the link 5 which swings about the short pin 3. This draws the rod 16 back with it, and causes the step 19 to be rotated to a horizontal position through the agency of the crank 17 and the shaft 18 supporting the step;

Themodification as shown in Figs. 5 and .6, as before the plate bar or member 1 has integrally attached to arms 2, 2 which support the short pivot pin 3 held in place by the cotter pins etet. Pivotally mounted on the pin 3 is a bifurcated link 30 whichhas its end freely connected to the rods 15 and 16 by'means of short pins 31. The plate member is bolted as before under the platform 13 to the center platform knee 12. The arm 15 is secured by crank 20 to the vertical l rotatable door shaft 21, and the rod 16 is attached to the horizontal shaft 18, supby this disclosure that I have invented a very simple but novel rocker step connection.

I am well aware that changes in detail of construction will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, and I, therefore, do not desire to be limited to the specific structure shown by way of illustration, butrather to my invention as define it in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I seek to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A rocker step connection comprising a plate bar having integral arms thereon, a bifurcated link member and means for pivotally attaching said link to said arms.

2. A rocker step connection comprising a base plate having bores therein, and integral arms, a bifurcated link member having bores at each end, and a pivot pin for securing the link to said arms.

3. A rocker step connection comprising. a base plate, arms on said base plate, a bifurcated link member and means for pivotally mounting said link member in said arms.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand on this 28th day of December A. D., 1925.

PARIS R. roRM n 

